The Canadian Peony Society 2019 Peony of the Year: Coral Sunset

“The most spectacular coral flower, so far, in the realm of peonies. This vigorous plant has intense, deep coral flowers that mature to an elegant ivory. The changing color tones flow so well that it is a delight to behold in its metamorphoses. Would that even a handful of summer sunsets were equal to this peony’s bloom. The petals have ruffled edges that increase the flower fullness. Holding its flowers closer to the foliage than ‘Coral Charm’ helps it to stand more upright. Usually there is only one bud per stem, but sometimes a side bud appears.” – Adelman, C, Michener,D Peony The Best Varieties for Your Garden (2017) page 94. Photo courtesy of Carol Adelman.

Our Mission

 
To promote the growing, improving and use of peonies in the garden and for home decoration; to encourage peony breeding to produce distinctly Canadian peony hybrids; to locate and record locally bred peonies, and produce a national registry of collections and their location; and, to sponsor an annual peony show and encourage regional shows.

What is a Peony?

 
pe·o·ny (pēˈənē) (pronounced pee-uh-nee) any plant of the genus Paeonia, the only genus in the flowering plant family Paeoniaceae, mostly Eurasian species popular as garden and florists’ flowers. Herbaceous peonies (most varieties of P. lactiflora)—formerly and still sometimes called piney—are hardy, bushy perennials that die back each year. Large, usually spring-blooming, single, semi-double or double flowers commonly range in shades from red to white.

Tree peonies (P. suffruticosa) have a somewhat woody, persistent base and are usually taller than the herbaceous, with more abundant and larger blossoms. Both herbaceous and tree are very long-lived. Both kinds of peony have long been venerated in their native China and Japan. The peony was formerly regarded as both ornamental and medicinal—the roots were used to prevent convulsions. P. brownii is a species of small peony, not horticulturally important, that is native to the West Coast of North America.